Riley Leaves Israel Today; Knesset Unit Discusses Security

June 25, 1953

JERUSALEM (Jun. 24)

Lt. Gen. William E. Riley, who leaves Israel tomorrow after a five-year tour of duty as United Nations truce supervisor, today called on the peoples of the Near East to place their full confidence in his successor, Maj. Gen. Vagn Bennike.

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee today heard Raanan Weitz head of the Jewish Agency’s colonization department, report on the security situation as it affects the border settlements. At the same time, the Committee heard similar reports by representatives of the district councils of the same settlements.

The Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission yesterday ruled that Jordan was responsible for the death of an Israeli watchman and the wounding of another last Thursday at Bet Nakufa where Jordan troops fired across the border line. The mixed unit censured Jordan and called on it to adhere to the agreement for local commanders to lessen tension along the frontiers.